[Harp-L] Harmonica Teachers Beware

[larryboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hey long time no post.

I wanted to share with you a recent experience.  I was contacted via e-mail by a
guy purportedly in Belgium.  He wanted a harmonica teacher for his son.  I
assume he found my name on some online harmonica instructor list.  He was very
serious about instruction and wanted three one-hour sessions per week for a
period of six months.  I was very skeptical, but also very excited about the
possibility. (not to mention what kind of a lesson plan I'd need to develop for
3 times a week)

He explained his son would move to the US and live with other family members
close to my home. etc.  I quoted him a price.  He agreed to pay in advance. 
When I recieved his Cashier's Check, it was for almost 3 times the agreed upon
price.  He claimed that was an error and that his wife had mistakenly included
his son's travel expenses in the check.  He asked that I keep the agreed upon
amount and wire the difference to his travel agent.  Well, after I told him
that I'd be happy to send the difference, after his cashier's check cleared the
bank, he disappeared.

The scam is to over pay, claim some error or mistake, and then have the victim
wire the difference.  They play up that a Cashier's Check "is like money". 
They try to get you to send the balance before the Cashier's Check is rejected
by the bank, which can take up to two weeks.

Play Well All,

Larry Boy Pratt
www.parkhousejam.com

----------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.